In a statement on Wednesday, the department said three people have died from the virus since Friday. In addition, the statement said 25 percent of the 105 cases reported in the week that ended March 23 required hospitalization, a number that is much higher than normal.

Overall, there have been more than 31-hundred cases, which is a record for this area.

Right now, doctors are concerned that people with underlying health conditions are trying to tough it out, hoping the warmer weather arrives soon.

Dr. Lynne Saddler of the Northern Kentucky Health Department delivered this cautionary advice, "If you’ve got underlying medical conditions, chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease or diabetes, if you start feeling ill and you think it might be the flu, you need to be in touch with your health provider early on and get checked out.”

The three recent deaths included a Campbell County female, a Boone County male and a Campbell County male, all of whom also had other health conditions.

There were two other flu-related deaths reported to the health department earlier in the flu season.

The winter air that has overstayed its welcome might be a contributing factor. The colder air keeps people inside and closer to each other, making it easier to spread germs.

There have been a total of 3,132 flu cases reported to the health department for the 2012-2013 season. Last year only 284 cases were reported.

At Pediatric Associates in Crestview Hills, 7,000 of their 20,000 patients this season have had the flu shot.

"Early in the season, it seemed like people who got the shot, number one, didn't get sick and the people who got flu around here haven't had the shot this year," said Dr. Mark Deis. "In the later part of the season, there doesn't seem to be as much correlation with that."

Officials with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention have previously noted that this year's vaccine seems to be less effective than usual, especially for older patients.